


(Fuck A) Silver Lining

by Yumoh



Series: Familia [5]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Apocalypses, Five and Vanya bonding, Five is again the best Boy Scout to ever live but this time so is Vanya, Gen, Grief, Mental Health Issues, Survival, canonical deaths
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2019-11-08 10:55:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17980007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yumoh/pseuds/Yumoh
Summary: What if Vanya ran after Five when he decided to go time traveling?





	1. Fluorescent Adolescent

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta read so forgive any errors. Also you do not to read the other fits in this series to get this one.

Vanya jumped as Five dug his knife into the table. She quickly turned to look at him and saw that he was glaring at their father. This wasn’t going to end well.

 

“I have a question,” Five said, with elbows jutting onto the table precisely the way they were told never to have them.

 

Their father failed to look up from his meal as he said, “Knowledge is an admirable goal but you know the rules. No talking during mealtimes. You are interrupting Herr Carrson.”

 

Five’s clenched fist was turning white and Vanya was afraid he might actually punch Father. Instead there was a loud clatter as Five shoved his plate across the table. Father still didn’t look up at the noise.

 

“I want to time travel,” Five said. It was something that he had being talking to Father about for months but with little result. Five had vented to her about it awhile back that he was ready and had reviewed his calculations endless times.

 

“No,” Reginald said with his usual sort of firmness that warned retribution if pressed.

 

But Five continued to push as he got out of his chair as he said, “But I’m ready. I’ve been practicing my spatial jumps, just like you said.”

 

Five quickly demonstrated by appearing by Father's side in an instant with a smug, "See?”

 

Father as always didn't spare him a glance and began his usual spiel, “ A spatial jump is trivial when compared with the unknowns of time travel. One is like sliding across the ice, the other is akin to descending blindly into the depth of the freezing water and reappearing as an acorn.”

 

Out of all of them, Five was always the brightest but Vanya could see that he was lost at this comment.

 

He said, “Well, I don't get it.”

 

Their father said with finality, “Hence, the reason you're not ready.” But what Vanya was afraid of was that Five's face said that this was far from over. She shook her head at him to try to get him to realize that this fight wasn't worth it however it wasn't enough as his jaw clenched tighter and he swiveled his head back to Father.

 

“I'm not afraid,” Five gritted out.

 

“Fear isn't the issue,”quipped Father and he continued to perfectly dissect his food as he continued, “The effects it might have on your body, even your mind, are far too unpredictable. “ Father turned finally to gaze at Five and say, “Now I forbid you to talk about this anymore.”

 

The moment Father turned back, Vanya could see the anger and rage building on Five's face. This didn't stop her from being shocked still as he suddenly turn and bolt. Their father barked, “Five.” But he was already out of the room. She couldn't explain the raw panic that clawed through her usual numbness but it told her that the image of his retreating figure might be all she would have left of him if he walked out right at this moment. Vanya wasn't sure what rebellious spirit rose within her causing her to stand up and run after him. The sounds of shock from her siblings and their father's orders calling them back fell quiet to her own heartbeat which urged her faster and faster. Her legs burned as she pumped them faster than she had ever gone. Please. Please. Please. The gap between her and Five narrowed as she burst through the door only moments after him. But she knew that she didn't have long before he teleported. He was getting his running start, preparing to go through time. Vanyaoutstretched her arm as she got closer hoping to catch even a thread of him if he tried to leap. Every breath burned her lungs and she was moments away from falling over but she knew this was the home stretch. Then she felt the air shift around them and somewhere deep down she knew this was it. Her fingers clamped down on the stiff material of his uniform just as he decided to jump.

 

Five had described to her the sensation of traveling as being compressed like a crushed tin can. But she never thought that she would ever get to travel as well so she was woefully unprepared for the feeling. It hurt as though she was too big for her body. The feeling subsided as she passed through with Five since she kept an iron grip of his uniform. As soon as their feet hit the ground, Five whipped around to stare at her. However it wasn't the look of annoyance that she usually got from her siblings but a look of elation. His eyes seemed to glow with joy and as she looked around, she knew why. They were in the future as the temperature had warmed significantly and the street was filled with vendors and stands. She answered his grin with a small smile of her own, stiff from disuse. He grabbed the hand she had released from his coat and with a running start, they were off.

 

The next jump landed them in winter, the snow thick and white. The air was frigid but Vanya felt this sort of joyful warmth as she looked around. The feeling from traveling was still awful but she was grateful to be able to experience something this extraordinary for the first time in her life. Five's hand was a vice grip as he kept on running forward. He was preparing to leap through time again and she braced herself for the uncomfortable feeling. She held her breath and closed her eyes as they leaped again. When she opened them, she did not recognize the setting around them.

 

The whole world was ablaze it seemed and the buildings were rubble around them. If this was the future, there was nothing, nothing, nothing. She stood for awhile in confusion and shock, everything seemed too much even against her usual dosage of medicine that worked to drown out her feelings. Five looked at her and she knew that his look probably mirrored her's with his ashened face, fearful eyes, and panicked expression. There was no need to speak as they both knew where they needed to go. Once more he tugged her back into the direction from which they came. She silently prayed that what she feared wouldn’t be true. But her fear was realized in the form of their home burning just as brightly as everything else. All she could do was stare as Five began to shout, “Ben! Dad! Anyone!”

 

The only thing that answered back was the crackle of the flames and the howling wind. Five let go of her hands and he looked pained as he tried to activate his power again but the veil of space and time refused to yield as the swirling blue around his fists refused to grow. He yelled, “Come on!,” but then the glow died as did their hope of leaving, "Shit.”

 

It was then everything keep them standing broke. Five fell to his knees in front of the ruins. Vanya sunk down beside him. The sob that had pressed its way up her throat burst out and she began to weep. Five pressed her into a hug, tighter than she had ever gotten before. She cried and cried for everything that was lost; their loved ones, their world, their innocence, and their lost hopes of a future. She could feel Five's arms trembling around her and felt his chest heave as he was crying too.

 

They sat there for a long time, long after the tears had stopped and all they could do was hold each other for support. Their legs numb and shaky once they rose to their feet. Five and Vanya walked through the rubble, knowing they would not like what they would find but knew they needed closure. A hand poked through a pile of collapsed building and they closed in on it. Vanya could see an eye clutched in the hand. Five let go of her hand momentarily and vested the eye from the hand; he slipped it into his pocket quickly. Vanya was perplexed but her question quickly died on her lips as she saw who the hand belonged to. It was Luther or at least a much older one than she remembered. His blond hair, darker and shorter, and his features looked much sharper than they did at 13 but that was still their brother. It was so much different seeing rather than merely knowing that they were dead. Five bolted off further into the maze of debris and she followed. They uncovered Allison who had grown up as well to have honey colored curls and be as beautiful as they all knew she would. Then Diego who wore a leather suit befitting a hero and had a large scar running down his face. Finally they found Klaus who had grown into his gangly limbs and wore thick eyeliner. They searched and searched but didn't find Ben or their Father. They eventually found Pogo and Mom but it had taken hours and the daylight faded into darkness.

 

There was a silence that had fallen between them as neither knew what to say as they were so very lost. They had walked and found the remains of the nearest supermarket. They scavagered for supplies as anything salvageable would be a godsend. Vanya had found a bright red wagon that she figured they could use to transport what they needed. Five dumped in canned foods, bottled water, a pocket knife he had found, a lighter as well, and a lucky find which was a tent. Vanya dumped in a first aid kit, a slight burned but usable blanket, and scarves to block out the air which was filled with dust. The last find was a shovel whose metal was almost too warm to the touch but as they looked at each other they knew that they needed it for what what they had to do. But both knew that would have to wait as they were drained and Vamya's head began to pound.

 

They set up a makeshift dwelling near their home, hastily constructing the tent. Five used the pocket knife to open two cans of peaches. They ate in silence, the peaches tasted cloyingly sweet but with a tinge of ash possibly from all the dust they had inhaled. Once they were done, Five turned to her and spoke to her for the first time they had arrived in this nightmare, “Sorry I dragged you into the literal apocalypse with me.”

 

She countered, “Well I'm not sorry I tagged along since if I had stayed than you would have gone through this all alone.” Vanya looked him straight in the eyes, hoping that he would know that this was not his fault, “We're in this together.”

 

“Together,” Five echoed as his usual stubborn look returned to his eyes and in that moment she could believe that at least for now that they would survive for as long as they could. They slept fitfully that night, curled under the same blanket. Vanya couldn't get the image of her siblings, dead and still, out of her mind. She knew that Five was not asleep either. In the end, neither of them managed more than an hour that night despite the exhaustion that clung to their bones.

 

As soon as there was light, they got up. They shared a can of corn as they decided to ration more carefully. But they knew that they would still need energy for the task ahead of them. Five took the shovel out of their wagon and they started. They took turns digging through the rubble to retrieve all their family. Luther was the biggest challenge as he was enormous, inhumanly so. His torso was closer to that of an ape than that of a human. Vanya wondered what could have happened but knew that answers of course were unsurprisingly scarce in this wasteland. They took a quick break and shared a water bottle. Vanya could feel the grime and dust sink into her skin and never had she had ever wanted to shower more than now. Their break was soon over as they resumed digging to create shallow graves for each of their family members even those who couldn't be found like Ben and Dad. It took all their strength as their weedy arms could barely manage to transport them into the graves. By the time they were done, every muscle in their bodies ached but none as much as their hearts. They had outlived everyone and everything and it was awful and unfair to have to bury your entire family alone.

 

In the rubble, they had found her violin, still preserved in its case. She was grateful yet sad as she wondered if their family had preserved it while waiting for the two of them to come home to them. Vanya cracked open her case and stood tall and straight in front the graves, holding her violin under her chin. Five stood next to her, his back also ramrod straight and his face filled with rage and grief. Vanya raised her bow and played a requiem to their family who was gone but never forgotten but also for themselves as they were also two lost souls.


	2. Something Extraordinary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The support for this fic has been so warm and encouraging like thank you guys so much for reading. I hope you like this chapter as much as the last one.

Surviving an apocalypse was much harder than movies or tv had pictured it. There was the constant battle to deal with all the conditions that fought to kill them. First there was the lack of food and water which was staggering to deal with. Canned food was available but finding intact cans was a hunt. Then clean water had started to be an issue as even the bottled water appeared murky so the risk of illness was starting to mount. Clean air was nonexistent as dust and the sooty fog from the flames were constantly present, blotting out the light of the sun at times. Five had suggested they start bundling their faces in a rudimentary attempt to stop the dust from getting into their lungs. But there were still days when breathing itself was painful as it would irritate their throat and lungs on the way down.

 

Aside from merely surviving, they did a lot of traveling. As they were always looking for new resources and cleaner conditions. It was strange that they were the most free here in the ruins of the world finally allowed to leave the confines of their house. The sightseeing options however as Five put it were limited to burnt out husks of buildings and so many bodies. Yet on they still went, never stopping, as they had no home nor did they think they would ever find a new one at least not in this haunted world.

 

Vanya was starting to feel strange over the past couple week as she quickly realized that there would no longer be anymore of her steady stream of medication. At first she felt fine as if nothing had changed. Father and Mom had always reassured her that she had to take those pills otherwise she would have terrible anxiety attacks. Five said to her that they would cope with them if they came back as there was nothing else that they could do otherwise. But the first day was nothing special as she did all the things that she usually did without hiccup: collect flammable materials for the fire, scarvanger with Five through buildings for supplies, help Five with his calculations that he had started on the possibility of them getting out one day, and playing her violin as she was determined not to fall out of practice.

 

The only thing else that developed the next few weeks was that she was starting to feel things much stronger than she used to. Before it felt like she was seemingly detached from the world around her that she could only react to a situation like a impassive bystander. However now she felt everything with a greater intensity which was a double edged sword. She found herself enjoying Five's jokes and stories that he would tell her of past missions way more than she found herself able to before. Though now there was the sadness that crept in as well as she wished that she could have seen it herself and the envy that poked its ugly head in as well. Five had told her that he had never seen her have more facial expression than now. Vanya could tell that he was happy about this as his lips quirked up in a smile as he said that.

 

Time passed by and the weather further soured as what presumably must be spring was filled with rain. The rain was not pleasant as it made their usual trek impossible as they were much slowed by the wind and the mud. They also could not set up their tent in the open and instead would have to spend their day crouched under whatever cover they could find. Those days they had nothing to amuse themselves with but memories.

 

"Hey Five,” Vanya said.

 

“What?” He asked.

 

“Remember how Diego was afraid of thunder.” Vanya said, trying to forget the image of his body, grown and still, and instead remember the Diego she knew, young and brash.

 

Five chuckled, “Yeah and how he would never admit it because he thought he was fooling anyone into thinking that he was macho."

 

“He would always drag me out of bed and go to Mom and say that I was the one who wanted to sit with her because I was afraid,” Vanya said, smiling at the memory of Diego trembling and barely managing to get out the words but still trying to pass off the lie.

 

“Well Diego was always the Mama’s Boy of the family,” Five said.

 

Vanya paused for a long while and said, “Do you think that Diego ever left Mom?”

 

Five’s forehead pinched up from the thought and said, “Mom would never leave Dad, it is against her programming and Diego always had grand plans of ditching when he became 18 so it isn’t an impossible conclusion to say yes.”

 

The thought made her sad as she couldn’t imagine how lonely Mom would be in a house without her kids. Being alone with Dad sounded like a nightmare even if Pogo would be there. She wondered what her siblings all did before all this. Did they all strike out alone or stay together? What brought them back there to the house? But one thing was still itching in the back of her mind.

 

“Do you think they missed us, Five?” Vanya whispered, almost too afraid to say it any louder. Not truly wanting to say her real question of, “Did they miss me?”

Five looked at her pointedly and said, “We were their siblings, Vanya. We all had our differences sure but I’m sure that they missed us as much as we miss them.”

 

Vanya couldn’t help but have doubts. They might have missed Five who was brilliant and powerful but why would they miss her. There were countless times that she was yelled at to leave or scram because she was always interrupting or messing up in some way. Vanya was just a normal person which made her a nobody in that house. They probably didn't even remember her. She started to felt this sort of pressure building in her chest and her ears started to pound.

 

“Get out of your head,” Five said, shaking her shoulders. He started again, “Hey Vanya, remember when we had a prank war and somehow we all lost to you and Klaus.”

 

The pressure that was building dissolved as she felt much calmer than she did moments ago. Five’s attempt to divert her attention to a much lighter topic was obvious but she took it anyway.

 

“Diego and Luther left me and Klaus out of the team drafting because we didn't have useful powers or in my case any at all. So Klaus decided that we stage a revolution.” Vanya could remember the fierce twinkle in Klaus's eye whenever he got a mischievous idea. She remembered how dumb it all was but how happy they both were that they could prove at least just this once that Four and Seven weren't as useless as everybody thought they were.

“I still to this day don't know how you replaced all of Diego's knives with bananas without him noticing.”Five said.

 

She took pride in explaining how through a delicate process involving 12 bananas, a pulley system, a bowling ball, and consulting with an 18th century spirit that they had pulled it off. That was the prank that no one else could top so Klaus and her got the prize of being able to order around the losing teams.

 

“Klaus asked Luther to do the electric slide for 20 minutes straight and halfway through it Luther was starting to get irritated and he stomped too hard and ended up making a hole in the floor,” Vanya said.

 

They both dissolved into a laughing fit after this. Their childhood had not been the most pleasant to recall but some moments were priceless nonetheless as they had managed to have their moments of fun throughout.

 

The apocalypse though had even fewer of those moments. One strange yet happy memory they had was of their meeting with first and only friend that they made during the apocalypse. Water had been getting low in supply and they were starting to get really desperate. They had been looking through the remains of a building, hoping to find some canned food when instead they found a completely intact alcohol cache. Five recalled that liquor when properly stored had no expiration date and definitely was cleaner than the water they had left in the flask which was a concerning shade of gray. Vanya's throat was so parched that she barely talk and her lips had cracked. So as desperate times call for desperate measure, they cracked open a bottle from the cache but made sure to save a bottle for medical purposes in their wagon. The first sip tasted awful and both of them started to cough at the strong taste on their tongue. But at this point she was grateful for any substance that would ease the dry feeling in her mouth. So they continued to drink until they had gotten their fill despite its less than pleasant taste.

 

The effects weren't immediate but quickly enough they realized that they weren't thinking straight. They were giggling at absolutely nothing as they started to stumble through the ruins of an department store. Five was far clingier when he was drunk and he began to lean most of his body weight on Vanya and almost let her drag him along. Vanya couldn't bring herself to care so they both made slow pace through the rubble. They weren't even looking for anything or at least not anything of use. But they found her regardless. She was peeking out through the rubble and something in both their trashed minds urged them to dig her out. Sure she was indeed a bald mannequin missing more than half her limbs but she called to them. They spent a solid 3 hours talking to her as if she was an animate object.

 

Five had latched onto Dolores at this point and was hugging her close to his chest. He managed to slur out, “What should we call her?"

 

Vanya was sleepy at this point so she yawned widely and said, “Something classy.”

 

Five thought for a moment before saying, “Dolores.”

 

Vanya nodded and said, “Perfect. Hey Dolores do you like you name?"

 

Something about Dolores said she enjoyed it very much. They barely managed to set up their tent for the night before they passed out in a heap with Dolores between them.

 

After that drunken meeting, Dolores became the third member of their trio. She was patient and a really good listener. On the occasion when Five and Vanya would get into fights, she would mediate between them and never take a side. Dolores had a love of sequins so they made it a point to keep an eye out just in case they find some one day as it was the least they could do for their first friend outside of the Academy.

 

The rainy seasons of spring gave way to a sweltering heat in the summer. The sunshine burned Vanya's pale flesh red every time while Five tanned and Dolores retained her pearly white. Five ditched his blazer which at this point was littered with holes and since they tended to wash their clothes in rivers and ponds, smelled of algae. Vanya tried to cover as much skin as she could and she had long ago ditched her skirt for a pair of pants that she had pilfered. They even found Dolores a pair of sunglasses but one of the lens had cracked down the middle.

 

The day had started out ordinary. They managed to walk most of the early morning as it was cool enough to not risk heat stroke but by high noon, they found a cool spot under the shade of the remaining quarter of a roof. Vanya sat criss crossed on the ground and tried her best to focus on trying to compose her own violin music which had begun doing after realizing that she was tired of playing the same songs over and over again. Five had sharpened a piece of rock and was using it as a pencil to mark down the beginning to his one of his long equations.

 

Then the building began to ominously groan and before either of them could react the roof that hung above them came crashing. Her mind was still focused on the sound of her own made up music in her head. There was a burst of this intense pressure as she found that time slowed down in her panic. Five was rushing towards her as he was probably going to teleport them out. But would he get here in time or even if he did then that would still mean their wagon with Dolores would get flattened? The panic of loss caused the music in her head to reach a crescendo and then she closed her eyes and felt whatever was building release itself.

 

She didn't dare open her eyes but she knew that at the very least, it didn't feel like she had died or gotten hurt. Her own breath was loud in her ears, shallow and too fast. Her limbs felt shaky from the adrenaline and the fear.

 

She nearly jumped when she felt Five's arm come around her. Vanya got the courage to open her eyes and see that they were sitting where they were originally but now the piece of roof that had fallen was in smithereens around them but they (and thankfully Dolores) had remained untouched.

 

“What happened?”Vanya asked not quite sure what had happened after closed her eyes.

 

Five squeezed her tight and said, "Something extraordinary.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter should be out hopefully by the end of the week.


	3. As It Was

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long! School has been keeping me busy.

 

The shock of learning you have powers when all your life you had thought you didn’t was stupefying. She just couldn’t come to terms with it all because all the facts she had thought to be true weren’t. The sky was blue, grass was green, and Vanya was ordinary. It was the reason she couldn’t play with her siblings, train with her siblings, or be anywhere near as important as her siblings. It was why her siblings distanced themselves far away from her because she just couldn’t hope to understand them. But now all of that was gone and all she was left with was why. 

  
  


Why was her powers kept from her? Why did Father not want her to be a part of the team? Why was it that she always never make the cut for anything or anybody? What made him want to medicate her into being just ordinary? She might never know but Five was definitely willing to make 100 theories on it. He seemed to be fascinated by her revealed powers and wanted to help her figure them out. Five would go on and on about all the things they should test her abilities for but Vanya wasn’t even sure it wasn’t all just a fluke yet. Dolores was more understanding of how much of a shock it all was and told her that they would help her adjust to this new madness. 

  
  


Five had decided that they both needed to start seriously training their powers. He had been practicing his spatial leaps but only small leaps as they both had a bit of residual fear that he might disappear permanently. Vanya wasn’t sure how exactly she would train whatever her power was but she was at least willing to try. 

  
  


“Alright,” Five said as he moved a large piece of rubble in place, “try moving this piece.” 

  
  


Vanya was dubious about this and muttered, “I don’t think I can do this, FIve.”

  
  


Five walked up to her and grasped her shoulders and said, “You told me that you were thinking about music during the incident. So simply do what you do best and focus on the beat in your head.” He gave her a reassuring squeeze before moving back observe.

  
  


She wasn’t sure if that would work but she closed her eyes and recalled her newest piece. It was a light piece that she envisioned as a summer breeze, relaxing and joyous. The working title was “A Summer Night With Five and Dolores.” Vanya followed the notes in her head and let herself be slowly carried away by it. As the sound carried higher and higher, she tried imagine the stone lifting higher and higher with it. 

  
  


At first, she felt like nothing was happening. Vanya almost let out a sigh because what if that really meant she didn’t have any powers. Then slowly the familiar feeling crept back in as she hoped that it would. 

  
  


She braved a peek and saw that the piece of rubble, was hovering a bit off the ground, no more than 10 inches. Unfortunately she lost concentration on the beat in her head and the rubble landed heavily back on the ground.

  
  


But she was still teeming with pride because she had done it. Vanya turned and looked at Five who looked at her with a matching look of pride and said with his usual smugness, “See I told you that you could do it.”

  
  


Vanya rolled her eyes but she still couldn't stop grinning. She was finally going to have something that would make her truly extraordinary.  

  
  


After that they continued to train their powers with Five working on perfecting his jumps so he could do them with an increasing ease and Vanya working on just discovering what she could do with her powers. She could move objects and, if she wasn't careful, explode things as long as she focused on sounds. It was months before she realized that she could use her violin to help channel her powers. Vanya had gotten way too into practicing and things around her had begun to start floating. After that Five had suggested that she start trying to use her playing to get her desired effect: stronger pieces for explosions and happier pieces for floating. So she began to compose pieces entitled, “Boom,” and “Please Float More Than Two Inches Off The Ground.”

  
  


Sometimes having powers wasn't all that it was cracked to be though. One time their rations were running low and Five was trying to insist that she have the last can since training had been exhausting. Vanya refused to eat if he wasn't going to. She knew that he was trying to be considerate but she was tired of being always treated like she was weak or like she needed to be protected. So she told him as much, more like screamed it in his face. Five was never one to shy away from an argument so pretty soon they were both arguing over who should take the last can. Vanya knew that he wouldn't back down unless he proved he was right and that just made her more furious because why couldn't he just let himself be taken care of for once in his entire “everybody is beneath me” life. 

  
  


Dolores was as always the voice of reason as she tried to get them to both calm down but Vanya didn’t want to have to back down like she had done her entire life. Her heart beat was loud in her ears as she was so riled up, pounding like a drum. Vanya didn't mean to but her powers acted before she could think and she knocked Five off of his feet and sent him flying. The world stood still for a moment as she couldn't believe what she had done. But then Five let out a pained groan as he struggled to sit up and she rushed over to him. Vanya wasn't sure what she would do if she saw fear in his eyes. 

  
  


He sat up, one arm slung over his ribs, and said, “Luther would be so upset right now if he knew that your shove is way stronger than his.” 

  
  


Vanya started tearing up in relief as she was just so happy that he didn't hate her. She sank down onto the ground next to him and repeated, “I'm so sorry.”

  
  


That was the first time she realized that maybe Father was right to lock away that part of herself.  The first time she was afraid of what she could do if she wasn't careful enough or strong enough to stop herself. 

  
  


After that incident she threw herself into her training even harder. Five tried to get her to stop pushing herself but she refused to even entertain the thought as she knew that she needed to get a hold on her powers before they could hurt anyone she care about again.

  
  


The years trudged on slowly as they grew up in a world of nothing. Five had grown taller than her which he never let her forget as she had barely grown past the height that she was when she got here. Vanya had decided that shorter hair was far more practical and sheared it off until her shoulders when they were around 18. Five insisted on growing out his ridiculous beard, saying that it made him look more scholarly despite both her and Dolores saying that it made him look ridiculous.

 

They had continued to travel the wasteland that was Earth and they continued to survive. That is not to say that they didn't have any close calls. There were of course the minor ones like the twinkies that gave them both food poisoning which had not been pretty. The period of time where they adjusted to having to eat whatever insects they could find after the canned food became moldy. Then there had been the winters that they had nearly starved and frozen to death. Of course there were the various injuries from living in a debris filled world like the time Vanya sprained her leg really bad after getting her foot stuck under a metal beam. She had been about as mobile as Dolores for a week and a half. Then that time that Five had gotten a nasty cold which left him delirious and feverish. Vanya had stood vigil by his side with Dolores while he slept, listening to every labored breath. She was terrified that if she slept that she would walk up to him being gone. Luckily the fever broke and he recovered but after that she made it her mission to try to bundle him up constantly in as many layers whenever the slightest cold appeared. 

  
  


All those close calls made them cherish aging more. The first gray hair that appeared when they were roughly 36 was a cause for celebration as they had managed to live and start to grow old. The first wrinkles were welcomed with the same joy. Though sometimes late at night, Vanya would ask, “What do think they would be doing at this age?”

  
  


Five would say, “Luther would be obsessed with fitness as always and probably nag that we should all be exercising way more. Diego would still be leaping across buildings, always trying to save the world despite his joints protesting. Allison would of course age gracefully and would probably be as world famous as she had always hoped. Klaus would most likely be as eccentric as ever and defying all expectations as always. Ben would hopefully still be around to talk sense into Klaus and probably would have a full head of gray hair from the stress.”

  
  


Vanya knew that they were long gone but imagining the life that they could have had if all this hadn’t happened  made her feel a little less guilty for outliving them. Also it was an unspoken promise that one day if they somehow managed to get back to their family that they would try their best to save them. To bury them once was more than enough times than she could bear. 

  
  


Their powers grew with them as they grew older. Five could appear and disappear in milliseconds and the distance he could travel to was only limited by the amount of energy he had to give. He also had become comfortable being able to travel with others, something that had taken years and years to master. Five had first mastered it with Dolores before he had decided it was time that he try it with Vanya again. It took awhile to get used to for Vanya but soon enough she began to enjoy the experience. Especially after they hit 40 and her legs began to protest walking as far as they usually did. Although they had managed to rig together a tandem bike attached to a wheelbarrow so they could pedal instead of walk. Vanya had gotten good at controlling her powers and being able to play certain songs to get certain results. She could demolish buildings with Beethoven and lift them with Mozart. Five had even admitted that her powers could be even cooler than his at times though it had hurt his pride to admit.

  
  


As their hair both turned more and more silver, she began to wonder what would happen to them as they approached old age. Five’s vision was starting to go, no matter how much he denied such a thing. He had begun to rely on using a rifle scope to help magnify far away things which was starting to qualify as closer and closer things. Vanya’s memories had started to get foggy as she could no longer remember what her family looked like or how their voices sounded. Sometimes she couldn’t quite remember what they had done the week before or even days before and she knew that it would only get worse. Besides that she wondered which one of them would go first? It was selfish but she wished that she would go first because she honestly didn’t think she was strong enough to be able to handle him being gone and she didn’t want to know what she would do in response. Also there was Dolores who she hated to think would be all alone once they both died with no one to protect her or talk to her. 

  
  


It was the spring of their 45th year in this hell hole. Five had suggested that they crack open the bottle of wine since he had picked up Dolores’s favorite bordeaux. They mostly kept alcohol for an emergency like when there was no water around or to disinfect wounds or when the world became too much to handle. Today was the rarest occasion of all as none of those were true and they were merely drinking to pass the time despite Dolores tutting at them not to. So they sat among the rubble of a library that they had been staying in, each holding glasses of wine at various fullness. There was no wind that day as the air was heavy with the promise of a big storm to come despite the current sunshine and lack of clouds.    

  
  


Vanya had almost begun to doze off to the sound of Five arguing to Dolores about how he deserves just one more glass. However the sound of shifting rubble alerted the two of them. Five quickly raising the rifle scope to his eye so he could see what lie ahead. It was a woman who was far too pressed and polished to be from around here with her neat white curls and painted lips. Her black gloved hand waved to them as if they were meeting for coffee not in the middle of the apocalypse. The way her smile stretched too far to be friendly left Vanya with a bad feeling. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the close to their adventures in the apocalypse and the beginning of their time with the Commisson. It will be a messy and bumpy ride but I think you guys will like it. I will hopefully have the next chapter out by next week.


	4. To New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late but I was having a rough time with writing this chapter for some reason. Hopefully will have the next one out much sooner since I have spring break.

The woman introduced herself as the Handler. She explained how she had admired their abilities and thought that they would make a great addition to the Commision. The Commision being an inter dimensional agency dealing with the protection of the time continuum. Vanya was highly skeptical and Five wasn’t comfortable either from the way he never put down the rifle. However one thing was clear that she might be their only way out of this place. 

  
  


“So how about you two coming with me and I'll draw up a contract.” The Handler said. 

  
  


“One moment,” Vanya interjected, “ We need to discuss this.” 

  
  


With that she and Five retreated behind the ruins of the library. 

  
  


In a hushed whisper, she asked, “Can we trust her?”

  
  


Five gave her an exasperated look, “Of fucking course not but what other choice do we have?"

  
  


“If she is speaking the truth then do you think that we could see them again?” Vanya whispered.

  
  


Five replied, “Perhaps but our main goal is to gather intel on a way to stop all of this.”

  
  


Vanya nodded and said, “So we have our answer.”

  
  


They came out behind the ruins to face the Handler. She still had her same phony smile plastered across her face. 

  
  


Five announced, “The two of us have decided to take you up on your offer.”

  
  


“Excellent,” The Handler said; her grin grew impossibly larger. “Now,”she began, hefting her briefcase, “This device will take us to where we need to go. Gather what you need.” 

  
  


Five and Vanya went to their meager collection of possessions to see if they should bring any of it. There seemed to be nothing of worth except Vanya's violin and Dolores’s favorite hat as she had pointed out that she wasn't leaving without it. Five let out a sound of remembrance as he dug through his side of the wagon to extract a small pouch. Vanya hadn't seen that pouch for nearly a decade but she still knew what lay inside: the eye that they found within Luther's clutches that first day. He slipped it into his pocket and then gently scooped Dolores into his arms. They were ready to face what was to come, the three of them had survived in an apocalypse for nearly three decades so whatever to come seemed paltry in comparison. 

  
  


They approached the Handler who instructed them to grab onto the briefcase in her hands. With a quick snap, the case was open and they were taken from the apocalypse. The sensation was familiar; her body felt compressed like when Five first leaped the through time. Then all of a sudden they landed in the middle of a building. The predominating colors were black and white as they were everywhere. The inside of the building looked like a nondescript office building with rooms filled with desks and chairs with people furiously working away.  The Handler with a grand wave of her hands said, “Welcome to the Commision. Now, follow me to my office.” 

  
  


Her heels clicked loudly as they followed her through the corridors. They passed by some people in the hallway who looked at them with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Some would look at her in the eye on accident and let out a squeal of terror before scurrying away. This confused Vanya because she didn't think that she looked practically scary with her frail body and slivering hair but perhaps that was just how they usually acted around strangers. 

  
  


The Handler's office was as cold and austere as the rest of the place. However it seemed to contain a more violent streak as various weapons decorated the shelves. The Handler gestured them to sit as she walked behind her desk and perched on her office chair. Vanya and Five took their seat with Five readjusting Dolores to sit comfortably on his lap. 

  
  


The Handler said, “The Commision handles the preservation of the time continuum. This is of the utmost importance to ensure the balance of all things. People however are messy creatures and often commit actions which can alter the timeline with their carelessness. Sometimes the actions can be utterly inconsequential but the consequences can lead to whole historical events being completely wiped from existence. Thus this is where individuals such as yourselves come in. You go to that place in time and complete whatever is needed to be done to accomplish the mission of setting the timeline right again .” 

  
  


Vanya knew that this job was perhaps their only way of seeing their family all again. However from the job description, she might have to commit acts that she was never willing to commit. She could always remember that haunted look Ben used to carry in his eyes after every mission as he used to look down at his hands as if he could still see the blood that he had just washed off. Or Diego furiously polishing his knives after every mission as if they would never be clean again. She looked at Five who looked like he had long made up his decision but from the way he was gripping Dolores even closer to his chest, she knew that he was less than confident. 

  
  


Five spoke up, “What do we get out of all this?” 

  
  


"Well to start we have a multitude of benefits such as free room and board as well as a generous salary on top of that with a great life insurance, health insurance, and dental package. Then of course there is the fact that our retirement plan is favorable too as once your contract is up then you can simply retire to a designated time and place as will be discussed at that time,” The Handler said. 

  
  


The last bit was what caught her attention as she said, “How long do we have to stay with the Commision?"

  
  


"Hmmm,” The Handler said as she tapped her gloved finger against her chin, “Well I would love it if you wouldn't think of the end of all this so soon but tentatively five years of service.”

  
  


Five years. That seemed ridiculously short to the amount of time they had spent wandering. Perhaps after they retired they would be able to go back to their time and save everyone.

  
  


Then Five spoke up, “The apocalypse? Is that something that your organization protects?”

  
  


Vanya's heart sank as the Handler quickly replied, “Well, of course! The apocalypse as it were is an important event in history that is to be protected from anything preventing it. Think not of it as a tragic ending but a fresh start.”

  
  


There was nothing fresh about the apocalypse. The nothingness that prevailed was weary. The thick grime and ash that clogged the air. Simply no life or hope to be found in those barren wastelands. All those years of suffering and to hear it put so pleasantly made Vanya feel sick. 

  
  


This sentiment must have been mirrored in Five as his face grew red as he shouted, “That is bullshit and you know it. You cannot say anything unless you lived through it like us.” 

  
  


The Handler remained unfazed as she said, “Well that is exactly why you cannot objectively see the worth of this apocalypse. Hopefully with more experience and time, you two will come to notice that every event, both good and bad, has its place in time.”

  
  


Five looked about ready to jump the Handler but Vanya gave him a hard nudge with her foot and said, “When do we start our jobs?”

  
  


“You can begin working tomorrow after a special training session with one of our senior agents. After that will be a minor mission but an important one to test both your skills and partnership,” The Handler said. 

  
  


Five and Vanya looked at each other. By now they didn't really have to talk to get what the other was saying. She knew that he wanted to leave this place as soon as possible and was eager to get through this stupid contract. Vanya also wanted to be done with these five years as soon as possible as she doubted that she would like the work. Dolores chimed in with a soothing thought that at least they weren't stuck in the apocalypse anymore. 

  
  


With their agreement in place, the Handler led them out of her office and down a series of maze-like hallways. They came to a stop in a hallway filled with identical doors. 

  
  


“Here are the dorm rooms for incoming agents. Currently they are empty as we haven't had too many new recruit as of late. Here are your room keys and with that I leave you two to sort yourselves out.” The Handler said and with a swish of her skirt, she was gone.

  
  


She had handed them two room keys for two rooms adjacent to one another. The thought of not sleeping next to Five and Dolores was odd. They had slept in the same tent, pressed close together for decades. It was a comfort to be able to feel for his pulse in the night to see if he was still alive. 

  
  


Five said knowingly, “No one said we have to use both rooms Vanya. Come on, we have a lot of shit to discuss before the morning.”

  
  


He inserted the key to the room and opened the door. The place was the same as the rest of this establishment: plain and utilitarian. There was a bed (large enough for them all if they squeezed in), a table with some chairs, a refrigerator, closet, dresser, shelf, and bathroom. 

  
  


Five laid Dolores down on the bed and Vanya placed her violin case on the shelf. They chose to sit at the table where they could discuss whatever the hell was going on. 

  
  


Vanya said, “So, we are now agents to a secret organization."

  
  


Five rolled his eyes, “Thanks for restating the obvious but yeah now we are probably in deep shit."

  
  


“Well, you don't know that. Maybe it won't be as bad as we think.” Vanya said but even as she said it, the words sounded false.

  
  


Five said, “You heard her. She said we will have to do whatever it takes to protect the timeline. I know what Father meant whenever he said whatever it takes and that never ended in anything less than bloodshed. We might have to kill or torture whoever the hell they want.”

  
  


Vanya was a lot of things but a killer was not one of them. She had never been able to deal well with violence. Diego and Klaus used to like to kill ants in front of her and she used to cry and cry until Grace asked them to stop. The rest of her siblings were expected to go out and fight but she never got to experience it herself, at least not within 50 feet.  So she wasn’t sure that she could do this but she really didn't have any choice.

  
  


Vanya took a deep breath and said, “We just need to survive these five years and then we can go back and save them.”

  
  


Five nodded gravely and said, “I have a nagging suspicion that they won't let us retire as easily as she made it sound."

  
  


Vanya said, “ Let's worry about that when the time comes. For right now, we should go to sleep because tomorrow is going to be stressful”

  
  


They got ready for bed in turns with Five graciously giving her the option to shower first.  This was the first shower she had in forever and it was heavenly. She could have easily spent an eternity there but she was exhausted. Vanya dressed in the pajamas that had been provided in the dresser.  She got out of the restroom and while Five took his turn, she looked around the room. The refrigerator was stocked with food and water, all fresh and uncontaminated. The closet was filled with clothes, an eclectic mixture from simple shirts and jeans to three piece suits to odder choices like a cape and Victorian riding boots. The clothing reflected the strange out of time aspect of this place. The shelves were barren for the most part but contained a small collection of books like “The Commision Handbook” and “Top 10 Ways to Incapacitate.”  

  
  


Once she had done a through inspection of the place, she settled underneath the covers of the bed. The bed felt far too soft in comparison to the years of getting used to the unyielding floor. Dolores assured her that in time that she would adjust to this too. Vanya thanked Dolores and bid her good night as she turned out the lights. 

  
  


She was just beginning to doze off when Five crawled into bed as well. He smelled of soap and whatever aftershave they had left in the bathroom. By now they were well used to the formation of how they liked to sleep; facing each other with their limbs entwined. They used to sleep next to each other just like this way back at the Academy. Whenever Vanya would have her usual recurring nightmare featuring the strange dark room, she would sneak over to Five's room to sleep with him. 

  
  


Vanya whispered, “Good night, Five.”

  
  


Five whispered back, “Night, Vanya.” 

  
  


It wasn't too far after that  she fell asleep as she listened closely to the sound of Five's steadily beating heart. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading as always and I will hopefully have the next chapter out soon. I want to say that I appreciate all the support and love for this fic as you guys really encourage me to keep writing for this fandom. This chapter is really a setup to the Commision arc and the missions and training will start next chapter and we will get to see how Five and Vanya act as agents and how their first mission will test them.


	5. Bad Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ummmmmmm I'm back and I'm sorry for the wait.

Vanya woke up first. She rarely ever got to but today was her lucky day perhaps. Five was still snoring as she went into the bathroom and got ready for the day. For once, she had clothing options so she picked some jeans and a flannel. After that she decided that she should make breakfast as this was going to be their first  meal that wasn’t cockroaches in a long while. Vanya was by no means a cook so she was grateful to find cereal and milk. Luckily she managed to find that they had stocked coffee as well so she made a pot. Five had always been a fan of coffee and would smuggle it into the house as Father frowned upon the consumption of caffeine.

 

She finished making three bowls of cereal (one for Dolores of course) and then crept over to the bed to wake Five. He was usually the first one up so he must be especially exhausted today and he was never a morning person.

 

She shook him gently, “Five, get up.”

 

Five let out a groan and said, “Five more minutes, Vanya."

 

Vanya said, “Alright but don't complain when your cereal gets soggy and I manage to finish all the coffee.”

 

He cracked open one eye, “Coffee, you said?”

 

Vanya let out a laugh because of course this is what would get him out of bed. Five grumbled but did successfully trudge to the bathroom after picking out a plain gray suit to wear. He was out in record time as he made a beeline to his awaiting mug of black coffee.

 

“First decent cup of coffee I've had in ages,” Five said with a sigh.

 

Vanya said, “Along with the first meal we've had that wasn't insects or moldy canned food in ages.”

 

Five said, “Yeah I didn't think that we would ever get to experience those things ever again.”

 

“Me neither,” Vanya said looking down her bowl, “I honestly thought that we would  die there, Five.”

 

Dolores chipped in with a reassurance that they didn't die there and this was their second chance.

 

Vanya felt tears eyed as she said, “Thanks Dolores.”

 

“We are survivors it seems, Vanya. I don't know why but we always pull through despite all statistical chances pointing otherwise. That is why we have to pull through this. So together?,” Five said.

 

Vanya was reminded of a time long ago when they first arrive in the apocalypse. They were so much younger and believed wholeheartedly that they would get out. Vanya had declared that they were in this together and here they were, out of the apocalypse and still together.

 

She smiled as she said, “Together.”

 

After finishing breakfast, they got a message slipped under the door. It simply read, “Meet your instructor in training room A in the basement level of the building.”

 

“Guess that's our cue to go,” Five said.

 

Vanya placed Dolores back on the bed. She had dug around in the closet and found her a sequined beret and floral blouse. Dolores wished them luck and promised to be waiting when they got back.

 

Vanya gave Dolore's plastic hand one last squeeze and Five pressed a light kiss to her cheek. Then they departed, a little scared but determined.

 

They made their way through the halls of the strange office building. It took several minutes but they managed to find an elevator. They pressed the down button and waited.

 

The elevator opened onto a group of office workers. Once Vanya made eye contact with them, they all quickly looked the other way. She could have sworn one pushed the close door button before she and Five entered. The atmosphere was icy as there was an unnatural silence which had fallen.  

 

“What floor,” One of the worker said, their voice trembling.

 

“Basement,” Five said.

 

The worker's hand was visibly shaking as they reached to hit the button.  Vanya was confused at this weird behavior as why were they all so scared. She would have to discuss this with Five later.

 

They disembarked on the basement level and found the room labeled Training Room A.

 

Standing in the room which contained various exercise equipment and weapon ranges was a tall man wearing a black suit. His dark skin contrasted his shock of white hair and pale blue eyes.  

 

The man said, “Hello, I will be your instructor. You may call me Matthias. You two must be the new hires.”

 

Something about the way he was looking at them though said to Vanya that he knew a great deal more about them then he was letting on.  

 

“What will this training include?” Five said, already skeptical.

 

Matthias replied, “I will be briefing you on company procedure and equipment like time-traveling briefcases and then we shall move on to testing your physical abilities. I have been informed of your abilities and would like to see them in action. After we have done all that you two will be complete in a small mission. I will be tagging along so that nothing goes awry. Does that sound alright with you two?”

 

Vanya nodded and Five didn't protest so that was as good as agreement.

 

“Alright,” Matthias said, leading them to a table with several tools, diagrams, and a thick book titled , “Complete Agent Indocturnation (The 188th edition)."

 

He lifted a familiar looking briefcase and said, “This right here is what makes all of our operations possible. It is the key to understanding how we operate so listen carefully. This briefcase is in actuality a compact time travel device developed by our R&D divisions to be both quick and discreet. This will be your greatest weapon and responsibility, time. There are several things to keep in mind when handling a briefcase: never let it out of your sight, never use outside of authorized missions, and never ever get careless when operating. Failure to comply to the first two rules will lead to immediate termination while the last one will not require action as you will most likely be lost to the time stream. Any questions before we move on to pneumatic tubes?”

 

Five raised his hand, “Yeah so by termination, I doubt you mean that the individual gets out alive.”

 

Matthias's pale eyes gleamed almost menacingly as he simply said, “Let's hope you two do not have to find out for yourselves."

 

After that he launched into a lengthy explanation of the various tools they would be using. From the pneumatic tubes that would appear just about anywhere and feed them instructions to the telephone booth number to be in touch during missions. After that he gave them each a quiz to make sure they had retained the information. Five scored a perfect while Vanya missed a couple but they apparently still both passed.

 

“Now onto my favorite part of this training, it is time to evaluate your skills for the field. First I want a demonstration of each of your powers. How about you go first Agent Five,” Matthias said.

 

Five scowled but obeyed as he leaped to various places in the room. This display must have pleased Matthias as he nodded appreciatively and said, “Excellent. Now Vanya?”  
  
    Vanya hadn’t brought her violin which was what she preferred to use but she would have to make do. She shut her eyes firmly and focused on her heartbeat and let it become the only thing she could hear. The melodic rhythm ran through her and with it she could feel the swell of her powers. Vanya didn’t want to break anything here so she envisioned a large pushing sensation. Almost instantly the air filled with a loud cacophony of squeaks and groans as all the objects in the room yielded from their positions.

 

She opened her eyes again and Matthias was beaming and he clapped saying, “Bravo, Agent Vanya.”  
  
    Five seemed proud as well as he gave her one of his small and genuine smiles.  
  
    Matthias said, “Now that I can see that the two of you clearly are talented with your powers and seem to have good control, I can issue you two your badges.”

 

He handed the two of them ID cards. They were standard issue but what was odd was that their photos were already on the ID cards despite never having posed for such a photo. They both pocketed their ID cards and Matthias said, “Our first mission will now commence after a short break. You will find that mission instructions will be sent to you via pneumatic tube which now you hopefully know how to operate. Now off you go.”

  
    They exited the room and headed back to their dorm. Vanya was scared to talk as there was a guarantee that someone was listening. Five was similarly quiet but from the pinched look on his face, he was a million miles into his thoughts at the moment.

 

Luckily the elevator on the way back was empty with not a terrified worker in sight. After that they made a quick pace to their room and were greeted with Dolores's ever smiling face. She asked them how it went and they were glad to explain how this place was as shady as expected.

 

They set the table for a simple lunch of sandwiches of ever nostalgic marshmallow and peanut butter. Vanya remembered the two of them sneaking down to the kitchen long past bedtime to smuggle the ingredients back to Five's room to make their midnight feasts. Vanya adored marshmallows and Five loved peanut butter so one day they mashed them together and from there it was history. Father disapproved of sugary snacks but Pogo with enough puppy eyes would make sure to buy them all one thing of their choosing.

 

Five broke her from her thoughts as he said in a low voice, “We cannot trust anyone here but ourselves. During the mission, you have to keep an eye on Matthias as well. Though don't worry too much,” he tapped his skull, “that's what this genius is here for.”

 

She smiled and said, “Don't forget that I am the one who can explode buildings here, Five. Just because you’re the genius doesn't mean I don't also got your back.”

 

He let out a bark of laughter and said, “If only the rest of our siblings could see ‘Quiet Vanya’ talking back to me now.”

 

Dolores piped in with a sweet message of how she was sure they would have adored her.

 

“I hope so,” She replied, taking a large bite of her sandwich. In her long years, she has thought a lot about how her siblings would have reacted to her having powers. They always seemed to leave her out of everything since she wasn’t special like them. But here she was apparently just as special as them. Would they like here more if she had been able to experience the same things as them? If she had the same brand on her arm and mask on her face, then could she have been their sister instead of their problem? That was something that she would never get answers too, or at least not yet.

 

They made quick work of their sandwiches as they went over a simple game plan for their first mission. Five and Vanya would make sure to stay within each others’ sight at all times. There was no room for failure as both of them had a feeling that failure here resulted in steep consequences. However their upbringing hadn’t taught much tolerance for failure either so perhaps they were ahead of the game.

 

There was a loud thunk that came from the book shelf. Vanya nearly jumped out of her chair. Five was the one who got up and approached the shelf. He pushed aside the small collection of books to reveal a pneumatic tube with a message tube tucked in. He retrieved the message before placing the tube back in where shot off back to where ever they come from.

 

He read it aloud, “Mission begins in 15 minutes. Be sure to wear the standard issue outfits (No need to blend in for this one). Don't be late.”

 

“Guess that's our cue," Vanya said.

 

They dressed quickly in what Matthias had informed them was standard dress for agents: black suits with white shirts and black ties. The feel was apparently supposed to be discreet and efficient. Vanya quite liked the suits however and Dolores informed them both that they looked dashing. She double-checked her badge was in her pocket before grabbing the other essential which was her violin. There was no telling how her powers would be needed so she was better safe-than-sorry.

 

They said goodbye to Dolores yet again and promised to be careful to abett her nagging. It was an honest miracle that they somehow made it to the meeting point before 15 minutes were up.

 

Matthias stood waiting there. He was carrying a time travel briefcase in one hand and a file in the other.

 

“Welcome to your first mission. I will begin with a quick debriefing on the case. Before I start, any questions to be raised?” Matthias said with a singular eyebrow arched.

 

They both shook their heads. Vanya was far too nervous and just wanted to hear whatever this case was already.

 

Matthias began, “Alright so there is a time disturbance in the year 1912 as one of the would be crew members of the Titanic is just a little too quick witted and will realize that a crash is inevitable and be able to stop it. If the Titanic's crash is prevented then a whole host of historical events will be set off balance. Usually a task like this would be left with a more senior member but the higher ups believe that my supervision and your promising abilittes will be plenty enough. We will be arriving in the middle of the evening in Southampton where Edward Frederick Smitherson lives and with enough luck we can catch him by surprise. Here are the weapons needed for the case.”

 

He handed them two old looking pistols and simple holsters. The weight of it in her hands made everything startlingly real.

 

Once they had secured their weapons, Matthias motioned them forward and then he said, “Ready to start,” and as soon as they finished nodding he opened the briefcase.

 

The feeling of being sucked through time was always the same awful sensation. She shut her eyes tight and didn't open them until they were safely in 1912.

She opened her eyes to be greeted with a quiet London street. It was late into the night and there wasn't a single sound coming from the cramped together houses. There was a sort of chill that set into her bones as she knew that they would be irrevocably changing this tranquil place.

 

The only thing that kept her walking towards the right address was the nudge from Five who already had a look of determination on his face. He always was the braver one of the two of them. Vanya also knew that Matthias was always watching and observing so any signs of weakness was not advised.

 

The small group made it to the front door of a small looking house at the end of the street. Matthias stopped at the front door and said, “It's showtime, agents. I trust you know what you must do.”

 

Five nodded and said with a calm clarity, “I will shoot the gun since I have more weapons training than Vanya.”

 

Matthias nodded and said, “Very well but Vanya must have a part so she should be the one to knock on the door. Once the deed is done, I will immediately transport us out of here and give you a review on your performance.”

 

There was a strange sort of feeling that settled over her as she raised her fist to knock the door. It was as if her soul had been knocked loose from her body and she was floating far, far above the entire scene. Vanya was only merely watching as her fist made sharp collision with the door in rapid succession. She doesn't even remember breathing as there was a long silence.

 

Then a sleepy voice asked, “Who is it?” That was when everything came back in sharp clarity again.

 

She was panicking as she said, “There's been an emergency.”

 

The poor man opened the door and from the nod that Matthias gave, this was their guy.  Time paused as they looked at the man whose fate was to be cut short and his confused and innocent face looked back at them. Then Five raised his pistol with a steady hand and shot. The noise of the shot was deafening. She watched in silent horror as the man fell back.

 

Matthias must have reopened the briefcase because all of a sudden she felt the tug of time travel. Then all too quickly they were back at the Commision. Vanya might be back physically but a part of her was still there, replaying the man's death over and over.  Five was stone- faced but his fists were clenched tight.

 

“That was a brilliant first mission agents. It was the epitome of what our agency prizes: quick and brutal.” Matthias said with an almost obscene grin.

 

She wasn't sure how to open her mouth without vomiting. Vanya kept her eyes fixed to ground and gave the slightest of nods in reply. Five also didn't say anything.

 

Matthias just chuckled and quipped, “You guys are certainly quiet. You really could use a good night's sleep, huh? One last thing and I will let you two loose. Since you guys are now officially agents, what will you choose to be your code names?”

 

Five and Vanya stared at each other as after this long and trying night, they were forced to do something as stupid as this. But then an idea popped into her head from a pleasant memory of early this day.

 

Vanya said while pointing to herself, “Agent Marshmallow” and then pointed at Five and said, “Agent Peanut Butter.”

 

For the first time since the mission, Five's stone face cracked and he gave a small smile at the idea.

 

Matthias didn't even bat an eyelash and said, “Wonderful. Now I bid you goodnight agents.”

 

Five and Vanya made quick pace back to their rooms and as soon as they were inside they let out sighs. Dolores was waiting patiently on the bed already asking questions on if they were okay and how it went. While Five gave Dolores the rundown, Vanya took first dibs on taking a shower. She caught a glance at herself in the mirror after she had turned on the shower and saw that blood was splattered on her face as well. It was with shaky fingers that she reached up and felt the cold blood on her face. This time she couldn't stop herself from retching as her stomach rebelled against her. Later in the shower, she made sure to sure to scrub at her skin until it's usually pale shade turned ruddy pink.

 

When she came out of the bathroom, she was greeted to Five and Dolores asleep on the bed. Vanya couldn't bring herself to wake him as he seemed so peaceful. Instead she managed to slip off his shoes and jacket and tie. She mostly managed to maneuver him under the blankets and then settled in with him for the night.

Sleep didn't come easily to her that night as Vanya spent hours staring at the ceiling wondering if the rotten feeling would ever go away. When she did fall asleep, she dreamed of a soundless room and a crying little girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this chapter and I'm so grateful to those who have stuck by this fic. I appreciate those who asked how I was doing. My life has been a mess because of my last month or two of senior year. But I only have a week left so after that I should be free to work full time on this.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, please be sure to leave a kudo or a comment or even both ;). I shall hopefully have the next chapter up soon. If you want to talk about umbrella academy you can find me at my side blog on tumblr @bisexualdisastervanya


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